Chapter 115: The Vickstrix Family Refuses to Submit

"Father, after I departed from Vostonia, I successfully seized control of the Zenith system, where I obtained a star map."

Bukayo retained his complete memories from before undergoing the Gaizao Shouhu, yet he quickly accepted his new identity and became accustomed to addressing Ninglu in this manner.

Becoming a genetic scion of Ninglu made him feel deeply honored, and he enjoyed this new bond.

"This star map provided me with information on two new star systems."

"After my navigator and I studied it, we discovered it recorded a world ruled by knights."

Ninglu looked at Bukayo with approval and began to praise him.

"Your discovery is exciting."

"Now, let you tell us about the situation in this star system."

Hearing the praise of his Gene-Father, a smile could not help but appear on Bukayo's face.

He walked quickly to the strategy table, took out the Data Slate he carried with him, and after connecting it to the Strategy Room's cogitator, a green holographic image of the star system emerged.

"Just as this system is named after twins, the Dakesuosi A'erfa and Beta planets orbit the system's star."

"They are located in the same orbit, opposite each other."

"The other planets in this system have nothing worth noting, nor are they habitable worlds."

Ninglu nodded slightly, and he said with a smile.

"The Dakesuosi Twins are where the value lies, and they are the reason I set off immediately upon receiving your report; we are going to reclaim this system."

"Yes, Father, the entire value of this system lies in the twins."

"After a long war of conquest, the Vickstrix Family has become the ruler of Dakesuosi A'erfa, and in recent years, they have expanded toward Beta."

Ninglu tapped his fingers on the back of his chair and asked the critical question.

"I assume you have already had contact with them; what is their strength like? What is their attitude?"

"Father, as far as I know, the Vickstrix Family possesses at least seventy-nine Knight Mechs, perhaps more, but it should be less than a hundred."

"I met with their Knight King, Campbell, and told him of the rise of the Terran Human Empire, but he had no interest in it."

"When I mentioned that Mars had sworn allegiance to the Emperor after signing the Olympia Treaty, he immediately showed enthusiasm and asked me over a dozen questions."

Ninglu nodded; this did not surprise him, as it aligned with what he knew of the Vickstrix Family.

In his memory, when the exploration fleet from Mars discovered this world, the Vickstrix Family's bloodless surrender became a celebrated story, and thereafter they only followed the personal will of the Fabricator General.

But the Primarch had not traveled thousands of miles just to be a pawn for the Adeptus Mechanicus.

Ninglu decided to conquer this family and make them swear allegiance to him, but considering the situation of the Vickstrix Family, it could be achieved in two steps.

After pondering for a few seconds, he spoke again.

"What is the condition of their Knight Mechs?"

Bukayo was prepared, and he answered immediately.

"From what I have seen, it is quite poor."

"Although in the information I gathered, they once deployed seventy-nine Knight Mechs at once, that was nearly a thousand years ago during the process of unifying the world."

"Their colony ships were dismantled upon landing to provide basic materials for the settlers, which prevents them from relying on sacred templates for maintenance, and their number of holy maintainers is dwindling."

The Lord of the Third Legion said with a smile.

"When I met the Vickstrix Knight King, the Knight Mechs he led numbered only thirty-five."

"Even if that is not all they can mobilize, it should be close."

"Very good, you have gathered all the intelligence I need; now send him a message and tell him of my arrival."

Ninglu paused for a moment; thinking that the purpose of this trip was to absorb, not to destroy, he decided to give the Vickstrix Family sufficient time to think and prepare.

"I will head to the surface in one day to meet with Campbell Vickstrix."

"Afterward, ten standard ship-minutes later, come to my office, and I will give you a reward."

The "Midnight Poet" felt his heart stir upon hearing this; it was not only his third time receiving a gift, but also because he had gained Ninglu's recognition.

Choosing to undergo the Gaizao Shouhu, Bukayo did so to better serve Ninglu, and now there was an added layer of new father-son significance.

A moment later, in the Primarch's private office, the shielding device was activated.

The "Midnight Poet" took a Potion from his Gene-Father's palm, tilted his head back, and poured the dark, deep, jewel-like gelatinous Potion into his mouth.

After Bukayo reined in his overflowing power, he looked at the Primarch.

"'Nightmare'?"

Ninglu nodded slightly and sent a Mind Pulse to Bukayo.

"That's right, 'Dream Manipulation' can force people into dreams, and it is the core ability in the power system I have bestowed upon you."

"Becoming a 'Nightmare' is also the moment you undergo a qualitative change."

Ninglu knew that the Potion sequences of different paths would undergo a qualitative change in ability at Sequence 7 or Sequence 6.

This node of the "Darkness" path is Sequence 7 "Nightmare," which gains the core ability—"Dream Manipulation."

And the node of his "Black Emperor" path is Sequence 6 "Corrupted Baron," and the "Distortion" ability gained is the embodiment of the essence of this path.

Beyonders of the "Black Emperor" path appear to follow the rules, but in reality, they profit from the rules.

"Distortion" is the embodiment of a Beyonder going a step further, from utilizing existing rules to actively distorting them.

This is different from the "Judge" Beyonders of adjacent paths, who are committed to maintaining order and revising rules.

Beyonders of the "Black Emperor" do not follow rules; they distort rules to serve themselves.

Simply put, "My rules are the rules, and only rules that serve me are rules."

It is just that he is still a long way from distorting rules according to his own will.

As Ninglu pondered, the newly promoted "Nightmare" bowed in salute.

"Father, I will certainly make good use of the power you have bestowed upon me."

The next day, as the starlight illuminated the palace of the Vickstrix Family on Dakesuosi A'erfa, Ninglu, Bukayo, Arsena, and Gabriel boarded a landing craft and headed to the surface.

As the landing craft pierced the atmosphere, while still far from the ground, the Primarch's gaze passed through the window to look down below.

In the aircraft docking area, the Knight Mechs of the Vickstrix Family stood in formation to welcome him.

Upon their grey metal bodies, the cockpit hatches at the top, the shoulders, and the outer sides of the legs were painted with green paint, making them exceptionally conspicuous.

Ninglu only glanced at them once before confirming the total number of Knight Mechs: forty-seven.

【This must be all the mechs the Vickstrix Family can mobilize; among them, some likely lack the capability for sustained combat.】

The Primarch also noticed that, besides the Knight Mechs, there were only armed men-at-arms waiting to greet him, with no commoners, no flowers, and no other corresponding ceremonial preparations.

This indicated that Campbell was not greeting him with an attitude of submission.

The landing pods of the Honor Guard touched down first, and the Warriors clad in black armor stepped out, formed up neatly, and stood opposite the Knight Mechs.

Subsequently, the Primarch, flanked by the Lord of the Third Legion, the Primarch Attendant, and the Techmarine, walked out of the landing pod and headed toward the central Knight Mech.

(End of this chapter)